Newt Gingrich: A legacy of surrender

Public Advocate tried to reason with Congressman Gingrich when
he was in the minority over his support of a Congressional pay
raise. He refused to meet with us.

TV news cameras and reporters recorded the disappointment of our
not getting to meet him.

So we went on without him.

In January and February of 1989 during the Congressional Pay
Raise debate, Public Advocate organized 3 weeks of daily
demonstrations ending in a giant rally Sunday night prior to a
Monday deadline greeting 100 members of Congress as they came from
a weekend at a West Virginia spa resort.

The traditional but raucus gathering drew thousands in Union
Station as the Members of Congress exited "gate 8" to buses. Large
banners were held with the words "Stop Thief" and whistles were
blown by many.

On February 7, 1989 the payraise would go into effect without a
vote. So then Congressman William Dannemeyer and others called for
a roll call vote to reconsider it. Two thirds voted at 11:30 a.m.
that Monday to kill the congressional pay raise on that day.

Gingrich went "down" with then-Speaker Jim Wright who
was broken under the weight of the Public Advocate political
assault.

Howard Rich in Politico says "The news that former House Speaker
Newt Gingrich folded like a cheap suit in the wake of a brazen
political attack on the tea party movement was sad. But not
surprising.

Now, his legitimizing the NAACP's crass political attempt to
play the race card reveals him to be nothing more than a rank
political opportunist - a White House-aspiring demagogue who
prefers looking good for the liberal legacy media to standing up
for our rights as citizens and taxpayers." says Rich.